Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government on Sunday, likening the 2019 battle to Mahabharata, but admitting that the Congress-led UPA government let people down.
"In the last few years of our last government… I don't say this with happiness. We did not stand up to the expectations of the people. The people of our country felt let down by us," he said, speaking at the 84th Plenary session of Congress.
He likened Congress to the Pandavas, who lost everything, and said BJP, like the Kauravas, was drunk on power, in an unusually strong speech that sought to firm up the party's preparations for next year's Lok Sabha elections and send out a message to party workers.
"The Kauravas were powerful, well organised and arrogant. They had money and numbers on their side. The Pandavas were humble. They were five brothers who had lost everything," said Gandhi. "Like the Kauravas, BJP and RSS are designed to fight for power. Like the Pandavas, Congress is designed to fight for the truth."
Rahul spoke directly to party workers and said the party has no future without them, in an attempt to strengthen the organisational structure.
He said that a wall that stands between hard-working party workers and senior party-leaders, where big names are parachuted during elections and are given tickets, will have to go.
He said that the next few months will be tough and there will be difficulties and fights, but as a party, workers need to come together to fight.
He took a dig at the Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi scams, and said that PM Modi is colluding with the crony capitalists. On the other hand, he said, when the poor ask the government for answers, they are asked to wait for the Rs 15 lakh BJP had promised before the 2014 elections.
"They will look you in the eye and say that you are lying. There is no employment, farmers are dying and the PM says let us do Yoga in front of India Gate," said Rahul.
He further accused BJP of creating an environment of intolerance. "When you ask questions, they will say -- be quiet. They will tell thousands of Muslims who have never been to Pakistan that they do not belong here. They tell the Tamils to change their beautiful language. To the Northeast, they say, change your food habits. To women, they say, dress properly or you will be beaten up. They told Gauri Lankesh and Kalburgi, question us and you'll be gone," said Rahul, assuring that Congress will protect people from all walks of life.
He said that people respect Congress. "There's only one organisation, the one with a hand," he said.
He promised to provide skilled youth with loans, and farmers with a network of food parks in every district. He also promised to take higher education to the entire country and said that more IITs and IIMs will be set up, if Congress came to power.
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